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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

I've posted before about diy conditioning treatments using products around the house, but this is different. These products are similar to ones that would be used on you if you were to go to a salon for a conditioning treatment, the only difference is you can do it yourself for super duper cheap. Depending on how long or thick your hair is, each treatment will cost you between $2.50 and $5.00!

All of these products were purchased at Sally's Beauty Supply for just under $10. If you don't have one of those near you, try checking out your local beauty supply shop and see if they offer similar products.

There are three products here because they all offer something different. The hot oil offers softness and shine. The brand is Queen Helen and there are actually a couple different types of oils but the one you want is Placenta. If the name weirds you out, just pretend like you don't know why it's called Placenta. It's better that way.

For moisture, grab a packet of Argan Oil Moisture Repair Conditioner. I actually love this whole line of products.

And the last element you need is protein. This is especially important for anyone with chemical or heat damage. I am normally pretty loyal to my professional brands when it comes to protein treatments but I wanted to give something different a try and I was pretty pleased with the results of this one. Since this is the only brand at Sally's that I tried, I can't really say how it compares to their others. You can definitely experiment though and see if there are other that work also.

The first step and one that you don't want to skip is to heat up the oil. I just filled my sink with hot water and let the tube sit in there while I got everything else ready. Then, in a plastic bowl, mix up equal parts of all three packets. I did half of each for my own hair which brought the cost of the treatment to $5.00, but it was definitely over kill. I could have done half that amount and been just fine.

If you are doing this in the shower, which I would recommend, make sure you are ready to hop in as soon as everything is mixed together so it doesn't cool off. Heat opens up your hair shaft and allows the treatment to penetrate deeper.

Once you have shampooed you hair, squeeze out as much water as you can and then grab a towel and squeeze out even more. Since your hair is like a sponge, the more water is in it, the less it can soak up anything else.

Leave the treatment on for 3-5 minutes and then rinse it off. If you want to get really serious, throw on a shower cap or tie a plastic bag around your hair. Please note I said hair NOT head!!!! This will really heat things up.

Like any conditioning treatment, this isn't a one time fix forever. Although you will see and feel a significant difference after just one treatment, I always recommend a second treatment a week later and then continue to follow up occasionally when your hair starts to feel dry or you've had any chemical processing done.

Really, the best thing you can do is not wait until the signs of damage are there. Take steps to prevent damage by getting regular trims, using heat protectants, and doing the occasional deep conditioning treatment. Your hair will be much happier!